Jesus Christ showed up at Super Bowl LVIII – and somehow, nobody was happy about it. Here’s how and why it happened, and the surprising reasons why viewers felt weird about it. It might not be for the reasons that you think.
Super Bowl commercials are supposed to be fun. Some of them are designed to provoke discussion, though most companies spend their millions aiming for a bit of watercooler chat about how funny, cool, or celebrity-packed their spot was. While a minute-long effort from the Servant Foundation’s “He Gets Us” campaign has certainly
Ticked the discussion box, the reaction wasn’t exactly light-hearted and positive. The commercial features a slideshow of AI-generated images that feature political and ideological opposites coming together while a member of one “side” washes a member of the other side’s feet. It alludes to an act that took place following The Last Supper,
In which Jesus washed the feet of his followers to show his humility. Select scenes include a police officer washing the feet of an African American man, a preppy girl washing the feet of someone with a punk rock aesthetic,
And an anti-abortion protestor washing the feet of a young woman outside a family planning clinic. In light of that, it’s not exactly surprising that people have taken to the internet to express some rather strong feelings about the whole thing. The commercial then finishes with the words “Jesus didn’t teach hate. He washed
Feet,” presumably for those who didn’t understand the message being conveyed. “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” The commercial seems almost designed to stoke controversy, touching on topics including religion, immigration, abortion, race relations, police brutality, poverty, climate change, and free speech. Any one of those would be enough to cause a stir,
And social media users found ways to disapprove it from just about every angle. One poster on X disagreed with the commercial’s overall message, saying that while Jesus did wash people’s feet, he also called sinners to repent. The X user then goes on to infer that, rather
Than spreading peace and love, the commercial is somehow giving a thumbs up to sinning in general. Actor Kevin Sorbo concurred, posting, “Jesus doesn’t affirm Sin.” Several users also argued that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, not a random cross-section of people from modern-day society.
If we’re taking the word of all four gospels, Jesus washed the feet of all 12 of his disciples following The Last Supper. It’s a passage that demonstrates his humility and is deeply symbolic in many ways. Amongst the 12 disciples is Judas Iscariot,
Who would betray Jesus shortly afterward. Jesus washes his feet all the same. He then goes on to say, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet,” essentially giving the practice as much
Significance as the Eucharist. “Maundy Thursday,” which traditionally involves the symbolic washing of people’s feet, is still practiced amongst many Christian sects to this day. In terms of symbolism, the act achieves a few things. Washing people’s feet, in some households of the time, was an act that was performed by servants. Despite being the
Son of God, the act physically demonstrated that Jesus was ultimately there to serve. It also demonstrates Jesus’ personal humility. Given the significance of Maundy Thursday and Jesus’ command for his followers to repeat the action amongst each other, it’s safe to say that the actions in He Gets Us’ commercial fit with The Bible’s
Teachings. It just had a controversial way of getting the message across.
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